Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Information Technology (DIT) and State Chief Information Officer Teena Piccione today announced she is stepping down from her role in state government to rejoin the private sector. Starting April 6, former DIT Deputy Secretary Nate Denny will return to the department to serve as Secretary.
“Teena is a changemaker and has been an important part of our team,” Governor Josh Stein said. “I appreciate her tenacity and hard work to improve our state’s cybersecurity, harness AI, and improve IT procurement. Her service to the state of North Carolina has been impactful. I wish her all the best in the future.
“I am excited to welcome Nate Denny back to state government. Nate knows the department inside and out, and he is well equipped to lead it as we make state government technology work better for North Carolinians.”
"It has been a profound honor to serve North Carolina in this capacity,” said Secretary Teena Piccione. “I am deeply appreciative of the opportunity to contribute to the state and look forward to the continued growth and success of North Carolina.”
“I’m honored to serve the state of North Carolina again and to support Governor Stein’s effort to connect every community and make state technology easier to use and more secure,” said Nate Denny. “I look forward to continuing Secretary Piccione’s great work to streamline procurement, modernize IT, and prepare the state to lead in the 21st century.”
Denny led the state’s broadband expansion initiative for three years as NCDIT’s Deputy Secretary. Previously, Denny served as Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. General Services Administration, where he led congressional, state, and local outreach on federal procurement, economic development, government real estate, and technology. The Elizabeth City, NC, native earned his undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his law degree at the University of Richmond.